Electrical connector



July 5, 1960 J. SCHMIER ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Original Filed Aug. 18, 1955 INVENTOR.

JACOB SCHMIER ATTORNEYS ufacturing Company, Inc., Emmaus, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application Aug. 18, 1955, Ser. No. 529,149,

now Patent No. 2,795,767, dated June 11, 1957. Divided and this application June Q1, 1957, Ser. No.

1 Claim. (Cl. 339-193) My invention relates to a quick detachable electrical connector ofeither the two, three, or more wire-type, which may be used for carrying a heavy current load for household and commercial devices such as electric dryers, or for industrial devices such as portable electrical devices.

This application is a division of my prior filed patent application Serial No. 529,149, filed August 18, 1955, now Patent No. 2,795,767 granted June 11, 1957.

The connector which forms the basis of this invention is one wherein the cap and complementary connector body are joined to each other by a straight insertion and/ or a twist to lock the cap and connector body together (as in my prior Patent No. 2,724,808, granted November 22, 1955). Both the cap body and the connector body of my invention are made entirely of soft rubber rather than of the usual rigid type of thermosetting plastic such as phenolic condensation products or the like, this soft rubber body being resilient and unbreakable.

It is an object of my invention to provide an electrical quick detachable connector having a separable sleeve of unbreakable flexible rubber wherein the sleeve completely envelopes the connector terminals and wherein the separable sleeve is readily attached to or detached from the main body portion of the connector.

Another object of my invention is to provide an electrical connector having a flexible rubber insulated connector body and sleeve which will not crack, break, or chip.

Another object of my invention is to provide a quick detachable connector whereby polarized blades of a cap may be inserted into the connector body in only one predetermined position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a quick detachable connector whereby polarized blades, either of the straight plug or the interlocking type, will always be maintained in a predetermined position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a quick detachable connector body of soft rubber, whereby a hard insulating washer or disc having predetermined blade openings therein cannot be stretched, whereby electrical connections may be made only in one predetermined position.

Another object of my invention is to provide an electrical terminal held together by a square shank holding rivet to prevent the terminal from swinging, turning, or oscillating about the holding rivet.

Other objects of my invention are to provide an improved device of the character described, that is easily.

and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly effective in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, my invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of an electrical connector assembly embodying the present invention, the assembly including a plug receptacle and intermediate sleeve.

States atent Fig. 2 is an end view showing the interior of the flexible sleeve.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an insulator disc having three slots therein for permitting three prongs of a polarized cap therethrough.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings, wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, I show an insulator disc, generally designated as F2, which interfits with a soft, flexible three-terminal insulating sleeve, generally designated as C2 which has openings therein to be aligned with the openings 50, 51 and 52 in the disc F2. A central projection 54 in the sleeve C2 has a plurality of radially extending walls 54A to serve as guards to prevent arcing from occurring between the terminals when the circuit is broken.

The disc F2 interfits with a complementary recess 56 in the sleeve whereby the openings 50, 51 and 52 will be aligned with properly aligned openings in the face of the sleeve C2. It should be noted that the arcuate opening 50 in the insulator disc F2 is wider than the arcuate openings 51 and 52, so that the prongs from a cap going into the respective openings are of difierent sizes. This construction is preferred where one terminal may be for the ground connection. A projection 58 on the sleeve C2 aligns the disc F2 when the peripheral notch 58A interfits therewith so that the openings for the cap prongs on the outside surface 60 of the flexible sleeve insulator C2 are in correct alignment with the openings 50, 51, and 52 on the insulator disc F2.

The flexible insulator C2 has an internal cavity and a closed outer face or surface 60 for either two, three, or more openings therein so that the user is safeguarded from coming in contact with any live circuit and only the proper cap prongs may be inserted therein.

The sleeve C2 and its associated elements is adapted to be used in combination with a cap or plug, generally designated A2, and a receptacle, generally designated B2. The plug A2 and receptacle B2 are adapted to be quickly coupled together to serve, when properly wired, as electrical conductors in an electrical circuit. The sleeve C2, which serves as an insulating cover for the exposed contacts indicated respectively at 70, 72, 74 and 76, may be readily attached to or detached from the receptacle B2 in order to easily attach wires (not shown) to the receptacle.

Where a single insulated disc is used for protecting the enlargement of any openings such as to prevent the unauthorized spreading of the openings in the end wall of the sleeve the insulated disc is attached to the rubber wall in such fashion that it cannot be removed. The disc, as has already been pointed out, is of substantially rigid material so that it will permit the correct prong only to pass therethrough and it will not be easily spread when a screw driver is inserted into the opening. The molded insulator plate is substantially harder than the soft rubber flexible sleeve C2 and prevents undesired electrical contact between the cap prong and the receptacle contact. The insulator F2 precludes the shattering or enlarging of any of the openings 31A in the soft rubber.

Although my invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

I claim as my invention:

An electrical receptacle comprising a body portion having a plurality of projecting spaced terminals connected thereto, a relatively soft, flexible rubber sleeve, means to detachably connect said soft rubber sleeve to said receptacle body, said sleeve extending beyond. said receptacle terminals and completely minals, a wall integrally connected to and substantially closing one endof said'sl'eeve, a central project'io'n'vvithin said sleeve, said projection being integral with one end of said wall andextending axially of said sleeve, radially extending ribs on said projection forming a p'liir'a'lity'ofinner: chamberstherebetween, each of said chambers encompassing one of said'receptacle terminals, an inner peripheral recess v in said sleeve adjacent said" Wall, openings in said wall aligned with corresponding inner chambers, a relatively'rigid insulator discseatedinsaid inner peripheralrecess and having; a configurationto receive said ribs, and openings in said insulator disc in alignment with the openings in said 'Wall to enable penetration therethrough into each-of saidiinner chambers ofa detachable terminal 15 2,795,767

enveloping said receptacle=terfor detachable connection witli corresponding receptacle terminals whereby said insulator disc prevents the unauthorized spreading of the openings in" said wall;

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,944,517 Knutson Jan. 23, 1,934 2,018,134 Koll'a'th Oct. 22, 1935 2,024,547 Strongson Dec. 17, 1935 2,220,811) Bright Nov: 5 1940 2,309,972 Messing Feb; 2, 1943 2,703,871 Woodhead Mar. 8, 1955 2,724,8(18 Schmier Nov. 22,1955- 2-,'-753';534 Sprigg Jiily'3'; 1956 Schmier June 11 1957 

